Confronting Boston’s Challenges: Recommendations for the City’s Next Mayor

As the Boston mayoral race heads to the primary on September 14, the Boston Area Research Initiative, in partnership with local academic communities, including Boston University experts, just released a four-part white paper series to help advise the next mayor. The series considers how the City can continue moving forward by learning about the challenges confronting Boston in climate and energy, transportation, public safety, and housing.

“2021 marks a significant milestone for Boston, as we prepare to vote for our first elected Mayor of color,” said Katharine Lusk, Co-Director of the BU Initiative on Cities. “BU spearheaded this whitepaper series, together with colleagues at Northeastern University, UMass Boston, and other experts, to provide our next mayor with the perspective of the broader academic and nonprofit communities and signal we’re here to help move Boston forward.”

Climate & Energy

How The Next Mayor Can Accelerate Boston’s Equitable Clean Energy Transition

By Rouwenna Altemose (All In Energy & Browning the Green Space), Jacquie Ashmore (Boston University Institute for Sustainable Energy & Browning the Green Space), Cutler Cleveland (Boston University Institute for Sustainable Energy), Jeannie Ramey (Climable), Gabe Shapiro (All In Energy & Browning the Green Space), Mary Wambui (Planning Office for Urban Affairs & Browning the Green Space), and Jen Stevenson Zepeda (Climable).

Transportation

What the Next Mayor Needs to Do about Boston’s Transportation Crisis

By Justin de Benedictis-Kessner (John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University) and Kathryn Carlson (Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston, Harvard University).

Public Safety

Advancing Public Safety In Boston: An Agenda For The Next Mayor

By Jack McDevitt, (Northeastern University) and Janice Iwama (American University).

Housing

What the Next Mayor of Boston Needs to Do about the Affordable Housing Crisis

By Keren Mertens Horn (University of Massachusetts Boston) and Meghan Elizabeth Kallman (School for Global Inclusion and Social Development, University of Massachusetts Boston)

Papers were invited and reflect the views of the authors. They are not intended to reflect the views of their institutions, nor BARI members generally. BARI extends special thanks to Katharine Lusk, Dan O’Brien at Northeastern University, and Michael Johnson at the University of Massachusetts Boston for spearheading and editing this series.